BORN: 1864 | DIED: 1905
Ambrose Birmingham was born in 1864 in Ballinrobe, Co Mayo. He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Ballinrobe and afterwards in Castleknock College.
He entered Cecilia Street in 1881 and qualified ‘first of first honours’ in the Royal University in 1887. Some months later he was appointed to the Chair of Anatomy. In 1888, he was appointed School Registrar. He then graduated with his MD and was made a Fellow in 1893.
He held the post of Professor of Anatomy, Catholic University School of Medicine from 1887 to 1905 and was Registrar of Medicine from 1889 to 1905
Ambrose wrote extensively, producing over thirty original papers which were published in the Journal of Anatomy, the Dublin Journal of Medical and the Transactions of the Royal Irish Academy. He wrote the section on the abdomen in Daniel Cunningham’s Textbook of Anatomy and this is generally regarded as his masterpiece.
Ambrose was interested in botany and painting and was an accomplished photographer. Together with his colleague Denis Coffey he toured the continent extensively by bike.
The Birmingham Medal in Anatomy is awarded by UCD annually as a token debt for his contribution, traditions and dedication to the Medical School from 1889 – 1905.